Fiber optic connector and method

Abstract

A fiber optic connector including a ferrule surrounding an optical fiber and a hub engaging the ferrule. The hub includes a front portion having first and second surfaces and first and second tapered contact regions extending from the first and second surfaces to a front face. A housing includes an anti-rotation seat including first and second angled contact surfaces positioned at a front of the anti-rotation seat. A spring within a chamber of the housing biases the ferrule through a bore in the front of the housing. The first tapered contact region of the hub engages the first contact surface, and the second tapered contact region engages the second contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position so that the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation. The tapered contact regions are planar surfaces sized smaller than the angled contact surfaces.

1. A fiber optic connector comprising:
 an optical fiber; 
 a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber; 
 a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion; 
 a housing defining a bore and an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation of the hub; 
 a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing; 
 an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including first, second, and third contact portions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including first, second, and third angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing; 
 wherein the first contact portion engages the first angled contact surface, the second contact portion engages the second angled contact surface, and the third contact portion engages the third angled contact surface so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector; 
 wherein the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces are disposed around the longitudinal axis of the connector to form a tripod configuration such that only the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces contact the first, second, and third contact portions to form the alignment arrangement. 
 
   
   
     2. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third contact portions each define planar surfaces. 
   
   
     3. A hub and ferrule assembly for a fiber optic connector, the assembly comprising:
 a ferrule configured to surround an optical fiber; and 
 a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, wherein the hub includes a front portion having first and second surfaces and first, second and third tapered contact regions extending from the first and second surfaces to a front face of the hub at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the hub and ferrule assembly, wherein the first tapered contact region is positioned to engage a first angled contact surface on the fiber optic connector, the second tapered contact region is positioned to engage a second angled contact surface on the fiber optic connector, and the third tapered contact region is positioned to engage a third angled contact surface on the fiber optic connector, wherein the first, second and third contact regions have surface portions which are equally spaced about the longitudinal axis to form a tripod configuration such that only the first, second, and third tapered contact regions of the hub contact the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces of the fiber optic connector. 
 
   
   
     4. A fiber optic connector housing comprising:
 an exterior body configured to be received in a fiber optic adapter; 
 a cavity defined by a rear portion of the connector housing; 
 an anti-rotation seat coupled to the cavity, the anti-rotation seat including a plurality of longitudinally extending surfaces; and 
 first, second and third angled contact surfaces positioned at a front of the anti-rotation seat adjacent a bore, wherein the first, second and third angled contact surfaces include surface portions equally spaced around a longitudinal axis of the connector housing to form a tripod configuration such that only the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces are positioned to contact respective surfaces on a hub and ferrule assembly. 
 
   
   
     5. A fiber optic connector comprising:
 an optical fiber; 
 a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber; 
 a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, wherein the hub includes a front portion having first and second surfaces and first and second tapered contact regions extending from the first and second surfaces to a front face of the hub at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the connector; 
 a housing defining an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the first and second surfaces of the front portion of the hub, the housing including first and second angled contact surfaces positioned at a front of the anti-rotation seat adjacent a bore defined by the housing through which the ferrule extends; and 
 a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing; 
 wherein the first tapered contact region of the hub engages the first angled contact surface and the second tapered contact region engages the second angled contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position relative to the housing so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector; 
 wherein the first and second tapered contact regions define angled surfaces less than or equal to 0.0100 inches long and greater than or equal to 0.0085 inches long. 
 
   
   
     6. The connector of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-rotation seat includes a third angled contact surface, wherein the hub includes a third tapered contact region extending at the angle, the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces equally spaced about the longitudinal axis of the connector. 
   
   
     7. The connector of  claim 5 , wherein end faces of the ferrule and the optical fiber are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector. 
   
   
     8. An SC fiber optic connector comprising:
 an optical fiber; 
 a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber; 
 a metallic hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion; 
 a plastic housing defining a bore and an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation portion of the hub; 
 a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing; and 
 an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including first and second tapered contact regions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including first and second angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing; 
 wherein the first tapered contact region engages the first angled contact surface and the second tapered contact region engages the second angled contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position relative to the housing so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector; 
 wherein the first and second tapered contact regions define angled surfaces less than or equal to 0.0100 inches long and greater than or equal to 0.0085 inches long. 
 
   
   
     9. The connector of  claim 8 , wherein the alignment arrangement further includes a third tapered contact region, and a third angled contact surface, wherein the third tapered contact region engages the third angled contact surface when the hub and ferrule are in the first rotational position. 
   
   
     10. A method for using a fiber optic connector comprising steps of:
 providing a ferrule surrounding an optical fiber with a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including opposing first, second, and third tapered contact portions; 
 providing a housing including a first angled contact surface positioned to engage the first tapered contact portion, a second angled contact surface positioned to engage the second tapered contact portion, and a third angled contact surface positioned to engage the third tapered contact portion to form a tripod configuration such that only the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces contact the first, second, and third tapered contact portions, wherein the first, second, and third tapered contact portions are angled surfaces less than half as long as the first, second and third angled contact surfaces; 
 pushing the ferrule back to disengage the first, second, and third tapered contact portions of the hub from the first, second, and third angled contact surfaces of the housing; and 
 releasing the ferrule so that the first tapered contact portion engages the first angled contact surface, the second tapered contact portion engages the second angled contact surface, and the third tapered contact portion engages the third angled contact surface, thereby retaining the optical fiber at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector. 
 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising steps of:
 connecting the connector to a second connector so that the optical fiber matingly engages a second optical fiber in the second connector, thereby causing the hub to be pushed back and the first tapered contact portion to disengage from the first angled contact surface, the second tapered contact portion to disengage from the second angled contact surface, and the third tapered contact portion to disengage from the third angled contact surface; and 
 disconnecting the connector from the second connector so that the first tapered contact portion re-engages the first angled contact surface, the second tapered contact portion re-engages the second angled contact surface, and the third tapered contact portion re-engages the third angled contact surface, thereby retaining the optical fiber at the known orientation. 
 
   
   
     12. An SC fiber optic connector comprising:
 an optical fiber; 
 a ferrule surrounding the optical fiber; 
 a hub retainably engaging the ferrule, the hub including an anti-rotation portion; 
 a housing defining a bore and an anti-rotation seat configured to engage the anti-rotation portion of the hub; 
 a spring disposed within a chamber defined by the housing and coupled to the anti-rotation seat, the spring biasing the ferrule through the bore of the housing; and 
 an alignment arrangement formed by the connector, the alignment arrangement including a plurality of tapered contact regions formed on one of the hub and the housing, and also including a plurality of angled contact surfaces formed on the other of the hub and the housing, the angled contact surfaces and the tapered contact regions being spaced from a longitudinal axis of the connector; 
 wherein the tapered contact regions engage the angled contact surfaces when the hub and ferrule are in a first rotational position relative to the housing so that an end of the optical fiber is maintained at a known orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connector; 
 wherein the tapered contact regions and the angled contact surfaces are positioned at 45 degree angles, wherein the ferrule extends from the connector over a range of 0.00130 inches as the angles are varied plus or minus 1 degree. 
 
   
   
     13. The connector of  claim 12 , wherein a first tapered contact region of the plurality of tapered contact regions engages a first angled contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, wherein a second tapered contact region of the plurality of tapered contact regions engages a second angled contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, wherein a third tapered contact region of the plurality of contact regions engages a third angled contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, wherein the first, second and third tapered contact regions, and the first, second and third contact surfaces include portions which are equally spaced about the longitudinal axis.